Former Sen. Leila de Lima Speaks on Case of Harry Roque
LEILA DE LIMA – The former Senator called on former presidential spokesman Harry Roque to return to the Philippines and face the accusations against him.
Former Sen. De Lima is now back in the Philippine government as the representative of the Mamamayang Liberal or ML party-list. Recently, at the proclamation of the winning party-lists in the 2025 Elections held at Manila Hotel Tent City, the former Senator spoke on the case of former presidential spokesman Harry Roque.
Harry Roque is faced with an arrest warrant issued by a local court. He is faced with accusations over his alleged involvement in the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming operations in the country. However, after the House of Representatives cited him for contempt and ordered his arrest, he went into hiding.
After around six (6) months, Roque was seen again in public when former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte was brought to The Hague, Netherlands for his detention. The former President is currently detained under the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity over his administration’s war on drugs.
Harry Roque initially claimed that he will be part of the ICC legal team of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte. Amid the calls to bring Duterte home, the former presidential spox vowed to the Filipinos that he will return Duterte to the country. Malacañang reacted to it and urged the people to call for Roque’s return instead. The Palace also stressed that he should defend himself first before others.
Recently, ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima reiterated the call for Harry Roque to return to the Philippines and face the accusations against him. The former Senator made the call in Manila Hotel Tent City.
“My only message to him is, he should come back here face the accusations against him,” she said.
Based on the report, Leila de Lima also stressed the presence of an arrest warrant against former Pres. Harry Roque. She raised a “dictum in law” about a flight when one is accused.
“He has a warrant of arrest already and he knows that, as a lawyer, there is such a principle or a dictum in law that flight is indicative of guilt, so he should face it,” the former Senator expressed.
Amid the former presidential spox being in the Netherlands, the Department of Justice or DOJ confirmed that they may tap the Interpol for the arrest of Harry Roque.